It’s easier than ever to use AI-generated images or text and to create synthetic data for use in research. A recent high-profile story got me thinking more about this question: When is it OK to use “fake” data? Before we dive into this, I’m putting “fake” in quotes because I’m taking a wide perspective on […]
Ask a Data Ethicist: What Is Data Sovereignty?
Recently, my DATAVERSITY colleague Mark Horseman shared that he’d been getting a lot more questions about Indigenous data sovereignty. We both agreed it would make a great topic for this month’s column. What is Indigenous data sovereignty, why does it matter, and how can we learn more about it? To answer these questions, it helps […]
Ask a Data Ethicist: What Happens When Language Becomes Data?
At a recent presentation for a local post-secondary institution, I fielded a number of questions related to the use of language, primarily English language texts, as training data for generative AI. There were questions around cultural impacts and related ethical concerns. These queries were more nuanced than the usual ones I get around copyright or […]
Ask a Data Ethicist: How Can We Address the Ethics of Reusing Data?
Reusing data is a fundamental part of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Yet, when we collect data for one purpose, and use it for other purposes, we could be crossing both legal and ethical boundaries. How can we address the ethics of reusing data? Understand Your Data Before we address the issue of reuse, we […]
Ask a Data Ethicist: What Data Is OK to Use to Prompt ChatGPT?
Millions of people are using ChatGPT on a regular basis to assist them in both personal and professional capacities. This month’s question centers on the data used to prompt ChatGPT. Our reader, who shared that they are an ESL speaker, would like to know if it’s ethical to have ChatGPT create summaries of information (specifically, […]
Ask a Data Ethicist: Can We Trust Unexplainable AI?
In last month’s column, I asked readers to send in their “big questions” when it comes to data and AI. This month’s question more than answered that call! It encompasses the enormous areas of trust in AI tools and explainability. How can we know if an AI tool is delivering an ethical result if we have […]
Ask a Data Ethicist: Why Does Data Ethics Matter?
Whenever I give a talk, I always share how much I love Q&A. It’s a real joy to hear what people are curious about and provide resources or share insightful lived experiences as a consultant in the data ethics space. In this line of work, it’s usually not about having tidy, easy answers or the […]